Chapter 2

I didn't know their parents had already met, the wedding date was already set, and the invitations had already gone out.

I had no clue that my best friend and the man I loved most, were teaming up to weave an intricate lie.

I was the most clueless, genuine, and pathetic prey caught right at the heart of their web.

Outside, the night kept getting darker.

I kept sketching, line after line, my eyes stinging, but I couldn't bring myself to stop.

I was still foolishly looking forward to that wedding. I still had no idea the groom was Dennis.

I grabbed my phone, but ended up just zoning out at my desk for ages, not moving, not doing anything.

Outside, the office buildings went dark one after another. The cold white lights in the design department hit my face as I stared at the messy construction drawings on my screen.

The lines were all over the place, messy, just like my heart.

I was the last to know. That fact kept spinning in my head, like tiny needles, poking at me. It was not enough to really hurt, but always there, stinging.

Violette and I had been best friends for five years. We were so close that we even shared clothes and blankets.

If I got bullied, she was always the first to stand up for me. If she were sad, I'd stay up all night with her.

I thought we were each other's number one, but when it came to the biggest moment in her life, I didn't even have the right to find out first.

I started scrolling through our mutual friends' feeds, and the deeper I went, the colder my heart got.

A month ago, someone had already snapped a pic of Violette walking side by side with a man into a jewelry store.

Two weeks ago, someone posted photos from her engagement when fireworks lit up half the plaza.

A week ago, the girls' group chat was already placing bets on what color the bridesmaids' dresses would be.

Everyone was laughing, congratulating her, and acting like they all knew the secret.

I was the only one left out, like a stranger locked outside the circle.

My fingers trembled as I closed the page, forcing myself to look away.

Forget it, she said it was all rushed, just a surprise, and she was afraid I'd overthink things.

I kept trying to convince myself.

I clicked on the link for the gold bracelet again. In the photo, it was dainty and shiny.

The customer service said I could have it engraved, and I wanted to engrave the words, [To: Vi's happiness]

It was nearly ten grand. Right now, my bank account did not even have half that.

I took a deep breath and opened the side gig group chat. Messages were flying by.

Interior renderings for 100 dollars, construction drawings for 200, elevation drawings for 150, even late-night document delivery for 50.

I was signing up for every job I saw, my fingers flying nonstop.

A coworker passed by my desk, flipping off the lights as he said, "Jeanne, you've been working way too hard lately. Staying up this late every night. Are you trying to kill yourself?"

I tugged at the corner of my mouth. "It's nothing, just want to buy a gift for a friend."

"Your bestie's getting married?" He asked.

I nodded.

"Nice! Is the groom the guy who joined us for dinner last time? I think his name was..."

He stopped mid-sentence, his expression changed, like he suddenly remembered something he shouldn't say, and just swallowed it back down.

"Forget it, you keep working. Try to get home early," he said.

He left in a rush, and once the lights clicked off, my computer was the only screen left on in the whole department.

That uneasy feeling in my chest started creeping back up. Why does everyone talk in circles, like they're keeping secrets?

Why does it seem like everyone knows something except me, and I'm the only one stumbling around blind?

I picked up my phone. I wanted to text Dennis just to ask what he was doing, or even just to chat for a bit.

But when I opened our chat, the last message was still sent by me. It felt as if it had disappeared into the void. There was no reply at all.

For the past six months, he'd been growing more and more distant.

He used to share his daily life with me, tell me he missed me, even take the long way just to pick me up after work.

Now, all I got were messages like, [Working late, busy, not now, don't make a fuss.]

I kept reassuring myself that he was just under a lot of pressure at work. His project was tough, so I should be the mature one, not clingy, not someone adding to his stress.

I swallowed all my hurt and sent a message, [I've been taking on a lot of side gigs lately. Once things calm down, how about we go out for dinner together?]

The message was sent, but there was still nothing but silence.

I dropped my phone face down on the desk and buried myself in my work.

The mouse moved across the screen, drawing line after line, but my thoughts were all tangled up.

Violette's dodgy tone, my friend's weird hesitations, Dennis getting colder and colder.

All these fragments pieced together, leaving me feeling uneasy and restless.

I had no idea how late it was until I finally looked up. The city outside was deep into the night.

The whole building was so quiet, only the air conditioner was humming. My neck ached so much I could barely straighten up, and my eyes were dry and gritty.

I started packing up to leave when my phone buzzed in my bag. It wasn't a WhatsApp message, but an SMS notification.

I thought it was just a bank alert, but when I opened it, I froze.

It was a wedding notification for a wedding held at the city's priciest spot, Euphoris Hotel, scheduled for two months from now.

Bride: Violette Blanche.

Groom: Dennis Roberts.

Suggested for you: the couple's wedding outfits, wedding favors, and home decor ideas for newlyweds.